The "Vermod" is an energy-efficient modular home designed in Wilder. The nation's top rural housing official said it's more resilient than the 129 manufactured homes destroyed by Irene.

"Sometimes mobile homes can be risky to invest in, but boy if you have one that is energy-efficient that's built on a slab that will be here, it's reducing the risk," said Tony Hernandez, the USDA rural housing service administrator. "Lenders will be more willing to do the lending that's what we're trying to get to long-term. Partnering with the private sector, but using the government as the right tool to create the right environment for the private sector to be successful."

Beverly and John Herrick live in a custom-made Vermod in Shelburne.

"It was very interesting to watch it being brought in," Beverly said.

Their six-month-old energy-efficient modular home is diagonally situated from where stakeholders held an event Tuesday.

"We like that it is a single level and affordable," Beverly said.

When the CEO of Cathedral Square heard the USDA was going to make long-term affordable mortgages available for residents of mobile home parks, the senior living organization decided to buy a 66' by 70' foot home in the Shelburnewood Mobile Park.

"Vermod was a little bit outside of our norm," said Kim Fitzgerald. "We don't do a lot of home ownership, we actually don't do any yet, but this was an opportunity to really purchase the home so people could come in and view it, the public can see it at large for a year, just walk through it, go inside. You'll see the difference it makes."

Fitzgerald said her organization will sell it to an eligible buyer next spring.

To date 23 units have been built and shipped to mobile home park lots or owned land.

With the financing program, the monthly mortgage payment on the $130,000 home could be as low as $387, according to the USDA.